URGENT newborn help please!

I gave Skittles 3oz of wet food with like 2 of the spoons of KMR. I got the more liquid of the wet food drainned it in a bowl and mixed it with that juice then I added to the food. She would not drink KMR milk unless I snuck it in to her food using the powder. I doubt there is a limit. I know I fed this to Skittles 3x a day. She was nursing a lot of kittens. If your mom is willing to eat it in the food give it to her. Just make sure she does poop. Wet food does provide a lot of the water they need.

I wouldn't be too worried about too much KMR, it's very nutrient and calorie rich and sounds like it would do her a lot of good, plus it's supposed to taste a lot better than just plain water! If you're really concerned about her getting dehydrated, you may want to talk to your shelter (even though she's not a foster) or your vet about teaching you to do sub-Q fluids, they should be able to give you a bag of saline and some syringes.

Also do you free feed here now is the time to let her take what she wants

Another trick-of-the-trade is to get some baby food...preferably Beech Nut stage 1 Veal & Veal Broth...put a good glob of it in her food...most adults go wild over it (great for the little ones also)...high in protein & all good stuff.

Also you can dip the paw in it and they wont like that fact the paw is dirty and will clean it off

Last night when I weighed the kittens they had all lost weight again except one it stayed even. I syringe fed them each 3 cc of kmr and a couple took like 4 or 4.5cc last night and then again this morning. I would like to feed them more but they don't cooperate. I forced momma with water again this morning and got several teaspoons in her. One of the kittens is acting a little lethargic napping a lot more than the others I am pretty concerned about him because when the rest are feeding hes just napping. Other than that they seem to be doing good. I think I am witnessing their first play here in the last couple of days. They seem to be batting at eachother and having kittens first wrestling matches. Momma is a sweet sweet girl and she hasn't changed in her disposition I don't know if I should use that or how much I should count on that to get a vibe of how she feels?

JK: What should I be looking for with the worming? The vet is who wanted to worm them but they wanted to charge an arm and a leg so I went to the shelter and they let me worm her for nothing.

momof3: Yes I do free feed her but she won't touch it unless she is desperate. She clearly prefers the wet food to the dry food. I tried adding water to her dry food this morning. She didn't really go for it. I have been reluctant to add water to the dry thus far because she really didn't want it at all.

Emailing another foster in my neighborhood tonight about sub-q fluids

Send get better vibes Please!!!

Let mom have the wet food it is something mix with the KMR... Make sure the kittens are being kept warm I mean if they are losing and having trouble eating they could just be cold. add some blankets or a heating pad. How old are they now.

Has this mama been tested for worms, it surely sounds like this barn cat could have a major case of worms which would affect the mama's treatment of the kittens. If the kittens are two weeks old they too should be wormed. Worms can be a major cause of runny stool, listlessness, and lack of appetite.

Momma has had her stool tested for parasites and came up negative for everything the vet says. Also the kittens are now 15 days old and have been on a heating pad since the day they got here. Recently I did switch it from low to medium.

15 days and they are still hanging on Keep up the good work. Seems like every step back there is still a step forward

I really feel for you as I am a worrier too. Last year I hand reared 3 baby mice when their mum died at 12 days. I read on the net to feed hydralite or similar for 1st 24hrs which I did, then fed KMR.
Later in the year I wondered what to do with the KMR as the use by date was soon to expire.Then in Sept. my son brought home a 3 1/2 week old kitten that had been dumped. I now had a use for the KMR. I bottle fed her which she struggled with getting the teat in. She pawed & scratched every time she had a bottle. I had to wipe her bottom to get her to toilet which was easy with wees, but she was constipated and had to have an enima. I was so excited when she was able to toilet herself.
I guess I kept her longer on the bottle than recommended, but used up all the KMR. Introducing solids was a chore, she swam in it & had food from head to chest. I wiped her down with a damp washer several times as the food dried on her head. She survived it all & is now 6 1/2 months old & a little terror.
I send you good vibes & hope all turns out for the best.

I'm not sure what to watch for with the mother being wormed. Not all vets refuse to worm a nursing mother, I think it can just further weaken the mother sometimes (afterall, wormers are poison for the parasites, but can also weaken the host).

Keep free feeding the dry food to Mom and I would offer her the wet food/KMR mix 2-3X a day and let her eat as much as she wants. At this point, I think you just need to keep getting lots of nutrients into her. If she's eating wet food/drinking KMR, then don't worry too much about her water intake, as she'll be getting plenty from the wet food. If she is dehydrated, I might try pushing more of the KMR than water. Like pp said, if you dip her paw in it, she will instinctually lick it off, which may make things easier for you.

When you force feed the kittens are you syringe feeding them wet food or KMR? It might be best to get a bottle (pet store should have newborn kitten bottles) and give them KMR, they're more likely to easily accept it and the KMR will be easier on their still young digestive systems.

HTH, please keep us updated and I will try to check back soon. I'm not sure if I've offered before, but if you're in Central IN and you really need help, send me a PM and we can see if we can work something out.

Also, about the wormer, since Mom's fecal was neg. (doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't have worms) definitely DO NOT worm the kittens! My vet said kittens shouldn't be wormed until at least 6 weeks old, and that's only if they're super healthy.

How is mom and the babies this morning. Is the weight up... Is mom going to the potty just out of curiousity.

here in the uk , if the babys deffently have worms they can be wormed at 3 weeks of age as long as there healthy. they have to be brought in to weigh so that they get the excate right amount of wormer. but i know they rather wait till they was a little older unless theres a bad case.

hmmm I hope everything is ok... I was worring and have been checking this thread.. I will say the kittens are fighters

Any news today? keeping my fingers crossed for mama and babies. I really hope they can all pull through this difficult time.

They are 15 or 16 days old today so I think it is a good chance they will make it she might have to keep helping them along. I hope they are just all sleeping.

WOW you guys are terrific!! Thank you all so much for the support 17 days today and all are doing well today. Momma Lucy seems much improved. She is eating a lot now we are doing wet food with water and/or kmr added, and we are also free feeding science diet dry kitten with water and/or kmr added and she is really picking up on eating the dry as well as wet. Before she would go for the wet pretty well but completely ignore the dry. Best news for me is that I haven't been afraid to go uncover the cage the last couple of days!! Trust me that is a breakthrough, I think there might be light at the end of this tunnel after all. All have gained tonight and last night also there is one kitten that is gaining slower and he is now the only one I have formula fed the last 2 days all the others seem to be doing fine without supplemental feeding. I am so proud of Momma Lucy she is doing so well, I know she is trying her best even though she doesn't feel good.

Sorry I went so long without posting a pic I have just been worried!

They are beautiful and I am glad they are doing better. You are doing a fantastic job monitoring them!